Dental forensic support of operation Iraqi Freedom

Abstract

Background The AFIP's trifold mission is consultation, education, and research. Through the Office of the Armed Forces Medical Examiner (OAFME), investigating unnatural deaths, including deaths during combat operations, is an additional tasking. The Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology (OMFP) provides support to OAFME at the Carson Mortuary, primarily in the form of dental identification of casualties. Dental identification support provided during Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) from 26 March 2003 through 31 December 2003 is reviewed and discussed. Study design Data collected by OMFP and OAFME were examined. For purposes of discussion, the mission was broken into 3 phases: the preparatory phase from October 2002 to 19 March 2003, the surge phase from 20 March to 30 April 2003, and the sustained operations phase (SUSTOP) from 1 May 2003 to 31 December 2003. Total identifications, methods of identification, identifications based on panoramic radiographs versus records, turnaround rates, and manning requirements were evaluated. Results Mission planning occurred during the preparatory phase. During the surge phase, 145 postmortem dental examinations were performed and 120 forensic dental identifications were made. During the SUSTOP, 360 postmortem examinations were performed and 284 forensic dental identifications were made. Conclusions Forensic dental identification is an expedient method of identification for human remains. Fifty-four percent of casualties were identified the same day the postmortem examination was performed and an additional 16% were made within 24 hours.